Monday, August 01, 2016

By electing Patrick Murphy to the US Senate in November, Floridians would do a great favor to the nation: hopefully ending Republican control of the US Senate.

The stakes are very high for the biggest GOP campaign contributors in Florida: including Big Sugar's Fanjul billionaires and their like-minded investors in US politics, the Koch Brothers. What's in it for Big Sugar: continued support for the corporate welfare embedded in the Farm Bill for Big Sugar, what Grover Norquist calls "cronyism in its undiluted, inexcusable majesty", and, no change to the status quo that allows Florida's coastal communities to be drowned in pollution and toxics through their command of water infrastructure. What's in it for the Kochs: continued erosion of federal authority expressed by the regulator that most threatens their corporate profits: the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Although Rubio has been their pliant and subservient ally -- denying environmental regulations during his terms as state legislature and now in the US Senate -- his failed presidential run makes him a vulnerable incumbent in a a critical battle ground state for what is left of the GOP after Trump.

Florida is a battle ground state where the battle is defined as fight by powerful, aging oligarchs to re-color a incumbent who conservative voters had already "greyed out". Big Sugar and the Kochs need to prove they can re-animate a politician left for dead: Marco Rubio.

In the Rubio/ Murphy contest for US Senate, there is more than control of the US Senate at stake. It is a question of whether an avalanche of political money can continue to prevail even for an incumbent who failed to carry more than 15% of his own state in the presidential primary.

Rubio now meekly supports the candidate who mercilessly and savagely belittled him throughout the game-show Republican presidential primary.

Electing Patrick Murphy, a Democrat, would send the strongest message yet that the tide has turned. A GOP majority in the US Senate means continued protection for oligarchs from polluting industries willing to deform democracy to the shape of their grip. Marco Rubio can't escape his past. In November, Florida voters can escape both Rubio and send a clear message: free, free at last.

9 comments:

Anon #1 is right--there is a primary first and Grayson is the true progressive. Murphy is a convert to the democratic party; some would say even a DINO, but if he gets the nomination, sure vote for him over Marco Batista, I mean Rubio.

Grayson is a "Bernie" pick. You are doing the same thing that Wasserman-Schultz did to Bernie. Let's have our primary first. We are putting up with Clinton, so we need people in both houses that will push a progressive agenda. HRC loves fracking and GMO's and war, so we need people in government to remind her that we don't.

"We have to make sure that Donald wins this election.” That was Marco Rubio's message about Donald Trump at a candidate forum over the weekend. Yes, Rubio is saying that the Republican nominee, who he once said is "wholly unprepared to be president of the United States" will have his full support to win the election.

This is just the latest example of Rubio throwing his weight behind Trump, and arguably his most forceful endorsement to-date of a man he once characterized as "an erratic individual...who has spent a career sticking it to working people."

Oh, how times have changed. These days, Rubio's reportedly taking phone calls with Trump and his campaign chair, Paul Manafort, to "discuss Florida politics."

Rubio's openly tying himself to Donald Trump and the anti-immigrant fearmongering that's defined Trump's campaign -- quite the evolution from the erstwhile Gang of 8 advocate of comprehensive immigration reform.

And Rubio's even standing by Trump's latest transgression -- a disgraceful attack on a Gold Star family that did nothing but criticize Trump over his anti-Muslim hatemongering and policy proposals. We're in day four of Trump's attacks on the Khan family, and Rubio's only just responding, with a meek statement that refuses to rebuke Trump -- let alone mention him -- and only goes so far as to characterize the situation as "unfortunate."

With no record of his own to run on and a pattern of shoddy attendance, Marco Rubio's only hope for reelection is to tie himself to Donald Trump and his divisive, anti-immigrant platform. In the process, Rubio's throwing away any remaining credibility he has with the Florida voters that elected him.

Grayson. Despite the hyped negative P.R. Grayson has been great in the Houseand will the the same in the Senate. Don't let this blog or others discount Grayson.Best informed and brightest person running. A dedicated progressive.

Perhaps Gimleteye is ruling out Grayson because of the years of domestic violence allegations against him. Even if you aren't worried about what that says about him as a person, you should worry about what that says about him as an opponent for Rubio. Unfortunately, Murphy is the only reasonable candidate. Shame the Democrats couldn't come up with someone better when Rubio wasn't even running.

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Quotes hall of fame - worth another look:

Jonathon Dunlop of Australia about the Miami Airport:"This is the most disorganized shambles of an airport that exists on this earth.''April 01, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment on Post__________________________________On "Colony Collapse Disorder":Anonymous said...I say lets wait till the last tree is going to be cut down, the last bit of oil used, the last lowland coastal areas flooded before we make any rash decisions that might effect the economy.April 21, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment_________________________________On Bee “Colony Collapse Disorder” being blamed on cell phones:Anonymous said...Hmmm. What are bees doing with cell phones, anyhow?April 20, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment_________________________________On South Florida Water Supply:Ron Littlepage said...Unfortunately, we know who would win when it comes to allowing development to run amok and it's not the wildlife.April 20, 2007 Eye on Miami Comment Post_________________________________Lesley Blackner said:In Florida, the sad reality is that government exists to serve the development machine, not the citizenry. That's why it's proper to say that in Florida we have government of the developer, by the developer and for the developer.April 22, 2007 Eye on Miami Post_________________________________On City of Miami and Miami Dade County giving $1,000,000 each to Jorge Perez’s Related Group (The Group's 2005 revenues were $3.25 billion.):"It makes as much sense as me donating half my paycheck to Warren Buffett.”May 6, 2007 Miami Herald Columnist Ana Menendez_________________________________On the FCAT Test:"'Florida is a serial mis-user of test scores.''Bob Schaeffer, director for Massachusetts-based FairTest.May 25, 2007 Miami Herald_________________________________Clifford Schulman (Greenberg Traurig Lobbyist):"This is the first time in 33 years that any one has accused me of fraud." June 28, 2007 Miami HeraldI say: hmm.__________________________________Max Rameau, Homeless Activist:"I respect Ron Book for his work with the Homeless Trust, but the Liberty City community and others have given broad support to this idea. I don't know that a big-time millionaire lobbyist can tell us what is best for Liberty City and the black community.'' July 28, 2007 Miami Herald__________________________________"After years of mismanagement under a board of political appointees and neighborhood activists, Miami-Dade County administrators have proposed a new way to run the troubled empowerment zone program. The plan: Bring in new political appointees and neighborhood activists."November 6, 2007 Miami Herald: Reporter Scott Hiaasen______________________________________"Saying "Greater Everglades" and "Northern Everglades" is not saying Everglades -- other places are deserving of being protected too, but there is only one Everglades. The main thing is to keep the 'Main Thing' the main thing -- which, lately, has not been the main thing." Bob Mooney - on Listserve "Everglades Commons"________________________________________"Does anyone in their right mind believe that Florida could conduct postal balloting without a major screw-up or scandal? Heavens, no! The whole country is keenly aware that our state is a sump hole of incompetence and corruption."Carl Hiaasen - March 16, 2008 Miami Herald_______________________________________On the Charter Review: "Commissioners want us to vote on their own pet changes, ideas the review team explicitly rejected. And, they're throwing their blatantly self-serving ballot questions at us at the same time. What a slap in the face to the charter review team — and to all of us!" Michael Lewis of Miami Today - April 10, 2008______________________________________On the Miami Dade County Commission:''Unfortunately, this is a commission that would build a cyanide factory next to a playground if you hired the right 12 lobbyists,'' Miami Lakes Councilman Michael Pizzi - May 14, 2008______________________________________"The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that’s not a smart way to build communities." President Barack Obama in Fort Meyers - February 10, 2009______________________________________"So."Dick Cheney's response when told that two thirds of Americans did not support the war in Iraq. - Time Magazine 2008______________________________________"It seems like a bad idea can always find a home in the Florida Legislature." - Howard Simon - Executive Director of Florida ACLU - March 24, 2010

______________________________________Complete this sentence: South Florida really needs a..."Regional plan for controlled growth (before it becomes a concrete jungle similar to Houston), and a completely new set of elected officials that make decisions based on what's good for the future of South Florida instead of what's good for their wallets. - Jack McCabe, Real Estate expert who predicted the housing boom's end. - August 29, 2011 Miami Herald